Featuring: Natalie Kane & Paul Tacori








Date: 09 May 2010
Planner: Anna Sorrentino 335 5715586 anna@acva.it
Location: Hotel Caruso – Ravello – Italy
Photography: JoAnne Dunn Photography – JoAnne & Kim

Key Suppliers: For further information contact Anna Sorrentino
- Flowers: Malafronte Floral Design – Armando Malafronte
- DJ & Music Entertainment – Wedding Music by Marco Cantarella
- Hair – Total Hair design by Gerardo
- Make-up: Enza – Frai Form

The Finer Details:
Bridal Accessories: personally designed by Tacori www.tacori.com
Items of amore – Bride’s Shoes by Manolo Blahnik shoes

“Mamma Agata” – cooking school – Ravello

Mamma Agata was voted the number one thing to do on the Amalfi coast by “Tripadvisor”. “Tripadvisor” is a site which rates travel services purely on public ratings.

“Mamma Agata” is like a character out of an Italian art movie. Chiara & “Mamma Agata” run a fun cooking school for anyone who wants to better their Italian cuisine techniques. They have also published their first cookbook, which means you can take home these culinary spells. They are delightful and full of juicy titbits to enrich your visit to Ravello. One has the impression that they adore sharing their kitchen with new visitors.

Italians are a tribe of pleasure seekers and their number one drug of choice is food. Mamma Agata’s cooking school is about more than just cooking; it’s about pleasure too. Oh and they also do intimate weddings for clients who share their choice of pleasure.

Piazza S. Cosma, 9, 84010 Ravello, Italy tel +39 089 857019





Introducing Zoe

Zoe is drawn to the excitement and drama of weddings, and her eye for detail ensures that nothing is missed. It also helps that she is a true romantic at heart! She has a special interest in emotive portraiture and reportage photography, capturing those candid moments that make the day so memorable.

Zoe – After graduating from film school, Zoe worked in television for ten years in Australia and the UK. She also trained as a makeup artist, working in both fashion and bridal before deciding to pursue her passion for photography.

She is inspired by the films of Hollywood’s heyday; Casablanca, Gone With The Wind, An Affair To Remember. She aims to bring the same classic glamour to your wedding day. Zoe loves collecting 1950s dresses and home wares, from flying ducks through to vintage aprons. When she’s not snapping, you can find her baking, listening to country music and hanging out with her two oddball Persians, Dolly and Mr Boots.



Wedding in Ravello

After having worked in almost all of Italy, I decided I wanted to settle in Ravello. The reason is simple, I think it’s the most beautiful place in the world. It’s half village half garden, suspended in the sky over looking the sea from mountain cliffs. It’s safe, with no cars, just steps and it has the most beautiful colours all year round. The spring is filled with cherry blossoms and fire flies. Summer has many flowers, music and balmy nights, Autumn is a flame with reds and oranges . Winter has a magic solitude which sparkles in silvers and blues. I can write endless sonnets but you would still have no idea of how beautiful the place is.

My favourite locations 06 – Mamma Agata – Ravello – Italy

I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT MAMMA AGATA. It’s voted the number one thing to do on the Amalfi Coast by trip advisor. And for good reason, it’s an authentic and fun experience for the whole family. Finally something all your guest will enjoy doing together. Mind you it will need to be a smaller group for a cooking lesson. I am doing my first wedding at Mamma Agata so I will keep you up to date on my opinions. So stayed tuned girls for all the gossip. ;0)

“For an exciting and different epicurean experience, Mamma Agata is the perfect spot. Situated high above the Amalfi Coast, it boasts terraces with views of the cliffs of Ravello cascading down to the sea. This famous and favourite location makes for a personal and intimate wedding.” Direct text from Mamma Agata website

My favourite locations 05 – Hotel Palumbo- Ravello – Italy

I simply adore the dinning room of Villa Palumbo. The fresco’s on the ceilings and the pains, the pavement and the windows all create a truly authentic Amalfi Coast atmosphere. The rooms are a delight since the building was once a home and so are varied in styles and shapes.

“From the enchanting gardens of this lovingly restored medieval palazzo, your gaze can wander out to the furthest point of the Gulf of Salerno, the Cilent Coast and the archaeological inland area of Paestum. The astounding blues of sky and sea are enhanced by the intense green of the hotel’s Mediterranean gardens.” Direct text from Hotel Palumbo website

My favourite locations 04 – Villa Eva – Ravello – Italy

One of the number one reasons to have your wedding at Villa Eva would because the fun does not have to finish at midnight. The staff are very professional but also pleasant and accommodating. Which can be helpful at sunset when you want to take some pickies and dinner is due to start. Other hotels are very strict about timetables. Villa Eva is very accommodating. There is loads of space for babies to play in a gorgeous big flower garden. Their views are also lovely. And I think the relationship between quality and price is very good. Much of the food eaten at Villa Evan and Villa Maria comes out of their Gardens.

“A romantic villa surrounded by a park of over 3000 square metres and beautiful gardens. It offers a view of the incomparable scenery of the Amalfi Coast and is a wonderfully tranquil spot.” Direct text from Villa Eva’s website

My favourite locations 03 – Hotel Caruso – Ravello – Italy

Hotel Caruso has won awards for having the most beautiful infinity pool in the world. Here quality is guaranteed. They are true professionals, experienced and classic in their style. The gardens are simply exquisite and all the rooms are suites. It’s a feature of luxury and comfort.

“Narrow alleys carved between stucco-fronted houses lead you to Hotel Caruso. Have your wedding set against the panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea or directly on a private section of its lush terraced gardens. The breathtaking views of the Amalfi Coast guarantee that your wedding will be special.”

My favourite locations 02 – Palazzo Sasso – Ravello – Italy

Sasso makes the best Bellini’s in the whole world. Seriously ridiculously delicious. Then if you love food the restaurant will make you fall in love. Gorgeous architecture but one of my favourite features is a gorgeous sculpture woman frolicking in the fountain. So many gorgeous places to take pictures but they can only cater to smaller weddings.

“This is a stunning five-star deluxe hotel that overlooks some of the Amalfi Coast’s most picturesque fishing villages. The hotel is a 12th century Italian villa whose beauty and tranquillity have inspired many famous personalities. General Eisenhower was a resident when he was planning the attack on Monte Cassino, and former guests remember Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini giggling over dinner in the restaurant.” Direct text from Pallazzo Sasso website

My favourite locations 01 – Villa Cimbrone – Ravello- Italy (part B)

Villa Cimbrone is the crème de la crème of what the Amalfi Coast has to offer. Views, sea, sun and sky all mix to create that magical ambiance for your day. The exquisite palace mixes the understated luxury of an elite venue with the intimate and romantic ambiance of a family-run hotel. Marry in open air splendid gardens with breathtaking views, or in elegant historical rooms that date back almost a thousand years. A sparkling jewel in a class of its own, Villa Cimbrone provides a unique setting for your wedding day.

My favourite locations 01 – Villa Cimbrone – Ravello- Italy (part a)

Cimbrone is my absolute favourite venue EVER. It’s just the craziest place. A little difficult to get to due to it’s location. You can’t get closer than a fifteen minute walk to the gate. The swimming pool was built with a donkey and a helicopter. Being family run it’s service is personal and friendly. The gardens are what dreams are made of and the views are indescribable, so I won’t even attempt. have a look in the gallery on my website.

Sample of a good schedule: Part two

This is for a wedding in June or July in Ravello. Held in the Cathedral.

7:30 Get out of church – a lot of kissing and a big group photo takes you at least half an hour often more
8:00 photographs of the two of you (we run ahead to Cimbrone -15 minutes to get to Cimbrone if you weren’t sensible with your dress and shoe choice or it could take an hour)
8:15 Guests make their way up to the Villa
8:30 Guest arrive
8:45 Final guest arrive and you join them and finally have a drink and snack
9:15 unfortunately now we need to do groups before it’s too dark and already boring pictures will be even worse. The bigger your list the longer it will take. So think- Do you really want to be doing loads of boring group shots when it’s cocktail hour and one of the best moments for reportage?
10:00 Dinner and speeches
11:00 Dancing and cake
12:00 Start of after party

Sample of a good schedule: Part one

This is for a wedding in June or July in Ravello. Held in the Cathedral.

3:00 Boys get ready at Cimbrone
3:30 Photographer shoots putting on of ties and sharing a toast. And some loose Tarentino style black and white groups and portraits.
4:00 Photographer leaves and boys go back in the pool – hair and make up starts
4:05 The photographer starts with the bride (also staying at Cimbrone)
5:00 The groom leaves with his friends and family to the piazza with a second photographer – shooting reportage
5:30 The bride can have a few portraits and groups with friends and family
6:15 Bride leaves for church
6.30 Church

Italian folk music for your wedding

Looking for entertainment which will please both young and old can be difficult. But choosing music which appeals to both because it maybe new or because it’s fun, will make the wedding enjoyable for all. The only music I have found which involves young and old would be Italian folk music and dancing. Everybody loves it and though it’s sometimes new for destination couples it’s antique roots some how make it familiar. Contact Marco at Wedding Music in Ravello.

A rigid schedule – part 01

One of the things I love about working at “Villa Eva” (Ravello) is that the staff and chef are very flexible. They honour the importance of the photographs by being super flexible. They ask me to be part of deciding the perfect time on the day, just so that I can catch that gorgeous dusk light. And the group photographs shot there are always lovely, all thanks to the staff of Villa Eva.

A rigid schedule – part 01

One of the things I love about working at “Villa Eva” (Ravello) is that the staff and chef are very flexible. They honour the importance of the photographs by being super flexible. They ask me to be part of deciding the perfect time on the day, just so that I can catch that gorgeous dusk light. And the group photographs shot there are always lovely, all thanks to the staff of Villa Eva.

Favourite towns and venues on the Amalfi coast #1


Ravello – Close to heaven

The charismatic and picturesque town of Ravello perches on a cliff 350 metres above the sea. The sharp drop gives the impression of looking down from a window in the sky. Its piazzas and terraces offer countless gorgeous panorama views of the Amalfi coastline, the endless Mediterranean, and surrounding vineyards and lush gardens.
Ravello was an important town of the Maritime Republic of Amalfi, a trading power in the Mediterranean region between 800 and 1200 AD. It has also been a cultural hotspot in the twentieth century, and has been a favourite of great artists and writers including E. M. Foster and Virginia Woolf.
Ravello is a place of music. In the summer, concerts are held in the village¬¬ in styles ranging from jazz to opera. They are performed in front of sea, sky, clouds, mist, specks of colour and light from March to November.

Ultimate venue idea

Villa Cimbrone – Villa Cimbrone is the crème de la crème of what the Amalfi Coast has to offer. Views, sea, sun and sky all mix to create that magical ambiance for your day. The exquisite palace mixes the understated luxury of an elite venue with the intimate and romantic ambiance of a family-run hotel. Marry in the open air in the splendid gardens with breathtaking views, or in the elegant rooms in historical surroundings that date back almost a thousand years.
The earliest records of the Villa Cimbrone date to the eleventh century. As a patrician villa, it belonged to a noble family called Accongiogioco and then to the Fusco, a wealthy and influential family related to the Pitti of Florence and the Angio of Naples. But around the seventeenth century, the fate of the villa becomes unclear.

It was an Englishman, William Beckett, who purchased the villa in 1904 with the intention of making it “the most gorgeous place in the world”. With the help of Nicola Mansi, a local, Beckett transformed it into a fortified palace with towers, battlements and a mixture of Arabic, Venetian and Gothic details. Between the house and the cliff edge he built a garden, high above the Gulf of Salerno. The garden is an eccentric mixture of formal English rosebeds, Moorish tea houses, picturesque grottoes and classical temples.

The villa’s reputation for intimate romance is second to none—it was the setting for the famous elopement of actress Greta Garbo and Leopold Stokowsky in 1938. Over the years, it has housed some of the greatest minds of modern times. It was a favourite of the London Bloomsbury set, and former guests include Virginia Woolf, D. H. Lawrence and Winston Churchill.
A sparkling jewel in a class of its own, Villa Cimbrone provides a unique setting for your wedding day.

Other venue ideas

Villa Eva – A romantic villa surrounded by a park of over 3000 square metres and beautiful gardens. It offers a view of the incomparable scenery of the Amalfi Coast and is a wonderfully tranquil spot.

Palazzo Sasso – This is a stunning five-star deluxe hotel that overlooks some of the Amalfi Coast’s most picturesque fishing villages. The hotel is a 12th century Italian villa whose beauty and tranquillity have inspired many famous personalities. General Eisenhower was a resident when he was planning the attack on Monte Cassino, and former guests remember Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini giggling over dinner in the restaurant.

Hotel Caruso – Narrow alleys carved between stucco-fronted houses and a deluge of steps lead you to Hotel Caruso. Have your wedding set against the panoramic views of the Mediterranean Sea or directly on a private section of its lush terraced gardens. The breathtaking views of the Amalfi Coast guarantee that your wedding will be special.

Hotel Palumbo – From the enchanting gardens of this lovingly restored medieval palazzo, your gaze can wander out to the furthest point of the Gulf of Salerno, the Cilento Coast and the archaeological inland area of Paestum. The astounding blues of sky and sea are enhanced by the intense green of the hotel’s Mediterranean gardens.

Mamma Agata – For an exciting and different epicurean experience, Mamma Agata is the perfect spot. Situated high above the Amalfi Coast, it boasts terraces with views of the cliffs of Ravello cascading down to the sea. This famous and favourite location makes for a personal and intimate wedding.